Cyrex: A Decade Protecting Digital Realms

It feels like just yesterday that Cyrex began its journey, fueled by a passion for cybersecurity and a drive to make the digital world a safer place. Now, here we are, celebrating a monumental milestone: 10 years of Cyrex! From humble beginnings to a global leader in penetration testing, load testing, and software development, our story is one of relentless innovation, strategic growth, and unwavering commitment to our clients.

What started as an idea between two college friends has blossomed into a multi-million-dollar powerhouse, partnering with some of the biggest names in gaming and technology. As we mark this incredible occasion, let’s take a moment to reflect on the journey, the triumphs, and the vision that has propelled Cyrex forward for a full decade.

From University Ambition to Industry Titans

Cyrex’s genesis can be traced back to the cybersecurity studies of co-founders Mathieu Huysman and Tim De Wachter. Their initial foray into penetration testing services, honed in the demanding fintech sector, laid the groundwork for what was to come. The pivotal moment arrived around two years in, with an opportunity from a German game publisher. This sparked an enduring fascination with solving the complex challenges of game hacking – a passion that continues to drive us today.

Recognizing the need to expand beyond Belgium’s gaming scene, Mat and Tim embraced an international outlook. Early efforts involved highly efficient bug bounty work, which quickly gained them a reputation for uncovering vulnerabilities. So effective were they, in fact, that companies soon realized it was more beneficial to hire them directly! This organic demand led to the official formation of Cyrex.

In those nascent years, the small founding team managed everything, from hacking operations to sales and marketing. They quickly learned the importance of adapting and improving, shifting from relying solely on technical prowess to actively promoting their services. This strategic pivot ignited momentum that has never stopped.

A Founder's Perspective: The Early Days

We asked Co-founder & COO Mathieu Huysman to reflect on Cyrex's beginnings:

Question for Mat: “Looking back at the very beginning, what was the biggest challenge you faced in those first few years, and what kept you going?”

Mat: “Being a pioneer isn’t always a blessing, and that’s exactly what we experienced in the early days of Cyrex. Our solutions were years ahead of what the gaming industry was ready to adopt. Unlike sectors like FinTech, where security and scalability were already top priorities, the concept of applying this rigor to Live Service games was still foreign to many studios.

The biggest challenge in those early years was creating awareness. We weren’t just selling services, we were driving a mindset shift. We had to educate the market on why topics like penetration testing and large-scale load testing were mission-critical for modern multiplayer games.

To make that shift happen, we invested heavily in marketing and sales, not just to get visibility, but to spark urgency. And while we still invest in those areas today, we’re now in a completely different landscape. These conversations are no longer niche; they’re being driven by major publishers and mandated across the board.

Looking back, it’s incredibly rewarding to see how far the industry has come, and to know we’ve played a real part in shaping that evolution.”

Pillars of Power: Expanding Our Services

The results of focused sales and marketing were swift, leading to significant expansion. The team grew, bringing in dedicated marketing and and content specialists. With increased client demand came the opportunity to broaden our offerings. Penetration testing, always at our core, was soon complemented by software development, a natural fit that many clients sought. In the years that followed, load testing became the third essential pillar of Cyrex, cementing our comprehensive approach to digital security and performance.

Our evolution also opened doors to working with larger clients and iconic titles. We’ve had the privilege of securing games for giants like Amazon Games, Tencent, Warner Bros, 2K, Epic Games, and projects including Dune: Awakening, Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League, Doom Eternal. We even ventured into the dynamic world of blockchain services, applying our penetration testing, load testing, and security stability expertise to innovative teams such as Immutable, Illuvium, and Mythical Games.

Navigating Change: Adapting and Evolving

Co-founder & CTO Tim De Wachter shared his thoughts on Cyrex's ongoing evolution:

Question for Tim: “Cyrex has adapted significantly over the past 10 years, particularly with the Magic Media merger and the launch of proprietary tech like Cyrex Swarm. What do you see as the most critical factor for Cyrex's continued evolution?”

Tim: “Within Cyrex there is a natural culture of taking on challenges and innovating. We have never shied away from exploring and using new technologies, on the contrary, we embrace them. Every project and game that we work on is unique and it forces us to improve ourselves and think outside of the box. Together with our overall hacker mindset this forces us to improve the company every day.”

Milestones and Major Achievements: The Path to 10 Years Strong

The journey to a decade has been punctuated by remarkable achievements and strategic advancements.

• The year 2023 saw us not only continue our work with major clients but also embark on a significant new chapter. We entered the world of SaaS, developing products and tools designed for end-users to enhance their security autonomously. This marked a shift towards offering direct, self-service solutions, alongside our bespoke consultancy. Our team grew to over sixty dedicated professionals, a testament to our continuous expansion and the increasing demand for our services. We also expanded our global footprint further, acquiring a development agency in Lisbon to bolster our software development capabilities.
• Then came 2024, a truly transformative year. A monumental highlight was our merger with the Magic Media group. This strategic integration with an international gaming and entertainment service provider amplified our capabilities and extended our reach within the industry. Together, we’ve already begun to expand our combined offerings, promising even more exciting ventures in the years to come.
• Furthermore, 2024 brought phenomenal external validation. We were honored to receive glowing testimonials from industry titans Amazon Games and Tencent. These endorsements, particularly the rare testimonial from Amazon Games, underscore our deep technical expertise and partnership mentality in delivering crucial penetration and load testing services. Becoming a Gold Partner with Tencent Global further solidified our position, enabling us to provide consistent and integrated support for their security and scalability needs.
• Finally, 2024 marked the full commercialization of Cyrex Swarm, our proprietary headless load testing tool. With 8 years of internal use and refinement, Swarm transitioned from a pilot program to a mature, customer-facing product, empowering clients with independent, on-demand load testing capabilities.

Throughout it all, we've remained at the forefront of technological advancements. Our proactive exploration of AI technology in security, leveraging it to identify vulnerabilities and enhance tester productivity, ensures we continue to innovate and provide cutting-edge solutions.

Lessons Learned and Pride in Our Progress

We asked our founders for their personal reflections:

Question for Mat: “What’s one piece of advice you’d give to your younger self, knowing what you know now about building Cyrex over the last decade?”

Mat: “As a perfectionist, one of the hardest, but most valuable, lessons I learned was that excellent is often more than enough. In the early days, I paid close attention to every detail, but I gradually realized that perfection isn’t scalable, especially when building a company that relies on many talented individuals and moving parts.

That mindset shift was a turning point. It allowed us to grow faster, empower our team, and still consistently exceed client expectations. We continue to hold ourselves to very high standards, and we’re still far ahead of the curve in terms of quality, but I’ve learned to let go of the need for absolute perfection. The results speak for themselves, and the feedback from our partners only reinforces that we’re on the right track. That brings real peace of mind.”

Question for Tim: “What are you most proud of when you look at Cyrex today, ten years on?”

Tim: “The team that we have built over the years. Building any kind of team is no easy feat, but bringing together professionals in the cybersecurity field combined with gaming is rather rare. Any new team member coming into our team has to learn a lot from the first day and they never stop learning while being a part of Cyrex. And I’m extremely proud of the team that we have right now and looking back and seeing their growth over the years is very rewarding.”

The Future is Secure with Cyrex

Our journey over the last 10 years has been extraordinary, driven by a commitment to innovation, a passion for problem-solving, and a team that consistently goes above and beyond. We've grown from a small, agile team to a global entity, continuously expanding our expertise and services to meet the evolving demands of the digital landscape.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our incredible team, our valued partners, and our loyal clients. Your trust and collaboration have been instrumental in shaping Cyrex into the company it is today. As games become more online-focused and integrated, the need for robust security and stability is paramount, and we are proud to be at the forefront of this crucial mission.

Looking Ahead: The Next Decade

Finally, we asked both Mat and Tim about what lies on the horizon for Cyrex:

Question: “As you look to the next decade, what is the single most exciting opportunity or challenge you foresee for Cyrex and the cybersecurity industry as a whole?”

Tim: “I believe we can all agree that AI is both the biggest opportunity and challenge in cybersecurity for the upcoming years. Security is a constantly evolving field, both on the offensive and defensive side keeping each other in balance. It’s our job as security professionals to make sure that the good guys stay slightly ahead of the bad guys and with AI this playing field is just evolving even faster.”

Mat: “Absolutely agree with Tim. With the fast-paced rise of AI, we’ll need to reinvent ourselves to a certain degree, or at the very least, adapt. Luckily, we’re in a strong position. Security is already niche, and our focus on the gaming industry makes us even more specialized, essentially a niche within a niche. That gives us a strategic edge, as we’re navigating highly complex waters that many have yet to enter.

While the market is still catching up, we’ve been preparing for this technical revolution. We’ve been quietly building internally, and what we’re working on will once again put us far ahead of the curve. The difference this time is that we’re not starting from scratch. We’re capitalizing on a decade of hard-won success and a portfolio that speaks for itself. Being a pioneer doesn’t mean having to create awareness anymore, we already have the trust, credibility, and momentum. Now it’s about scaling that leadership.”

The future for Cyrex is bright. We will continue to innovate, leverage cutting-edge technologies like AI, and expand our offerings to provide even more accessible and autonomous security solutions. Here’s to the next decade of breaking, building, and scaling software for a safer digital world!